SHRIKARRA VIDHYA MANDHIR, Sivananainthapuram

English Language and Literature (184)

Class –X Topic - How to Tell Wild Animals by Carolyn Well
About the Poet
Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was an American writer who was famous for books based on mystery. Her famous
works are at the sign of the Sphinx (1896), The Jingle book (1899), the story of Betty (1899) etc.
How to Tell Wild Animals Poem Introduction
In the poem, the poet has explained the characteristics of various wild animals in a very funny way. She has
used language in a way that it generates humour. She is introducing the reader to various kinds of wild animals
like Asian lion, Bengal tiger, bear, etc.explaining each of the animals in a very humorous way.
How to Tell Wild Animals Summary
The poet is describing the various wild animals in a very interesting and mysterious way. These animals are
very dangerous, but poetess is introducing them one by one in a very funny way. First of all, she tells us about
the Asian lion. She says that if you are visiting the jungles of the east and there we see an animal that has tawny
skin and may roar that we may die out of fear. It means we saw an Asian lion. Next, she explained the Bengal
tiger as a royal animal that at once attacks and kills a man. She says in a humorous way that if this beautiful
black striped animal kills us and eats, then we have surely met a Bengal tiger.
After this, she says that if we met an animal with black-spotted skin and it at once jumps on him, then it is a
leopard. Also, she says that if one will cry out in pain, then it may be of no use as the leopard will not stop
attacking him. Then she introduces the bear that she says will hug very tightly. Because in this way bear may
kill a person by hugging him very tightly.
Further, she asks a question to the readers that do we know the way of recognizing beasts that hunt their prey.
Then she explains about hyenas having a smiling face always and the crocodiles which have tears in their eyes.
It is quite visible when they are killing their prey. Lastly, in the list of animals, she introduces the Chameleon.
She says that it is a lizard type creature which doesn’t have ears and wings just like a lizard. Only this
information can help us to differentiate between a lizard and chameleon. She further says that the chameleon
has a quality of changing its colour as per the colour of its surrounding and surface.
Therefore, to explain this she says that if we look at the tree and if we are seeing the tree only, then certainly it
means that there is a chameleon sitting on it. And it has already turned its colour to brown just like the branch of
the tree.
Conclusion of How to Tell Wild Animals
This poem is beautifully introducing the wild animals in a different way analogous to the hidden human beings.
Literary Devices : Stanza-1
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (chance-advance, east-beast, dyin-lion)
Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence to the next line (and if there…..tawny beast)
Inversion: Change in the format of a sentence (if there should to you advance)
Assonance: use of vowel sound ’o’ (you should go, should to you, roars,)
Allusion: Reference to a famous thing, place, species of animal, etc (Asian Lion)
Literary Devices: Stanza-2
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (round-ground, you-you learn-discern)
Alliteration: repetition of consonant sound ‘r’ at start of two or more closely connected words (roaming round)
Inversion: Change in the format of a sentence (The Bengal Tiger to discern)
Allusion: Reference to a famous thing, place, species of animal, etc (Bengal Tiger)
Assonance: Use of vowel sound ’o’ (or if some time when roaming round)
Literary Devices: Stanza-3
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (view- you, peppered- Leopard, pain-again)
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Alliteration: use of consonant sound ‘h’ in the beginning of two words (he has)
Poetic license: A liberty to the poet to change the spellings in order to create rhyme or rhythm in a poem (use of
lept instead of leapt)
Repetition: use of ‘lep’ word in the last line.
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ (strolling-forth-you, whose-spot, do no good to roar)
Consonance: use of ‘l’ sound (he’ll only lep lep)
Literary Devices: Stanza-4
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (yard-hard, there- bear, guess-caress)
Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence to the next line (if you were walking….creature there)
Alliteration: use of ‘w’ sound (when-walking), use of ‘h’ sound (who- hugs), use of ‘b’ sound (be-bear)
Assonance: use of vowel ‘e’ (meet a creature there)
Literary Devices: Stanza-5
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (prey-may, nonplus-thus, smiles-crocodiles)
Alliteration: use of consonant sound ‘n’ (novice-nonplus), use of ‘th’ sound (the-thus)
Enjambment: continuation of sentence to the next line (though to distinguish….might nonplus, The
crocodile…..hyena thus)
Literary Devices: Stanza-6
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (small-all, thing-wing, tree-see)
Alliteration: use of ‘h’ sound (he hasn’t)
Consonance: use of ‘g’ sound (single wing)

Extract Based Questions

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Question 1.
If ever you should go by chance To jungles in the east;
And if there should to you advance A large and tawny beast,
If he roars at you as you’re dyin’
You’ll know it is the Asian Lion ….
(a) State features of an Asian Lion.
(b) What happens when the lion roars?
(c) What do you mean by ‘tawny’ ?
(d) What is the physical appearance of the lion is the stanza?
Answer:
(a) An Asian Lion is large and brownish-yellow in colour.
(b) When the lion roars, it is very scary and it feels like we are going to die.
(c) ‘Tawny’ means brownish-yellow in colour.
(d) The lion in the stanza is large and tawny.
Question 2.
Or if some time when roaming round, A noble wild beast greets you,
With black stripes on a yellow ground, Just notice if he eats you.
This simple rule may help you learn The Bengal Tiger to discern.
(a) How can you recognise a Tiger?
(b) Why does the poet call him a noble animal? [CBSE 2015]
(c) How is Bengal Tiger different from the other animals?
(d) What does the word ‘ground’ means here?
Answer:
(a) A tiger can be recognised with the black stripes on his yellow hide.
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(b) The poet calls a him a noble animal as he is very impressive in size and does not roar loudly.
(c) Bengal Tiger is different from the other animals as he is quiet and roams silendy.
(d) It means the hide or the background that is the skin of the Tiger.
Question 3.
If strolling forth, a beast you view,
Whose hide with spots in peppered,
As soon as he has lept on you,
You’ll know it is the Leopard.
Twill do no good to roar with pain,
He’ll only lep and lep again.
(a) While walking, how does a leopard’s hide appear to be?
(b) When does one come to know that it is a leopard?
(c) Give a synonym of ‘strolling’.
(d) Why it won’t do any good to roar with pain?
Answer:
(a) A leopard’s hide appears to be peppered while walking.
(b) According to the poet, one comes to know that it is a leopard when it leaps or jumps on him.
(c) Walking
(d) A leopard’s grip is the toughest one, so one can’t do anything under the grip of that beast.
Question 4.
If when you’re walking round your yard You meet a creature there,
Who hugs you very, very hard,
Be sure it is a Bear,
If you have any doubts, I guess He’ll give you just one more caress.
(a) Who is going to hug and why?
(b) This hug is also called?
(c) What is the antonym of ‘Caress’?
(d) Where can a bear be found?
Answer:
(a) The bear is going to hug you hard to embrace you.
(b) A Bearhug
(c) The antonym of‘caress’ is ‘boo’.
(d) A bear can be found in the yard where it may get nectar from the beehives.
Question 5.
Though to distinguish beasts of prey A novice might nonplus,
The crocodile you always may
Tell from the Hyena thus:
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.
(a) Between which animals would it be difficult to differentiate? [ CBSE2011]
(b) How does a Hyena differ from a Crocodile?
(c) Quote a saying famous for Crocodile.
(d) Where does a novice may get confused?
Answer:
(a) It would be difficult to differentiate between a Crocodile and a Hyena.
(b) A Hyena laughs as it swallows its victim, while a Crocodile weeps as it swallows its prey.
(c) “Crocodile tears” is a famous saying for Crocodile.
(d) A novice may get confused in differentiating between a hyena and a crocodile.
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Question 6.
The true Chameleon is small,
A lizard sort of things;
He hasn’t any ears at all,
And not a single wing.
If there is nothing on the tree,
‘Tis the Chameleon you see.
(a) What does a Chameleon look like? [CBSE 2012]
(b) Describe any two characteristics of a Chameleon.
(c) Give an antonym of ‘small’.
(d) Where can a chameleon be found?
Answer:
(a) A Chameleon looks like a lizard.
(b) A Chameleon does not have ears and wings.
(c) Big
(d) A chameleon can be found on the tree.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. How can you identify the Asian lion and the Bengal Tiger? [CBSE 2015]
The Asian Lion has a large body and a brownish-yellow
coat. It roars loudly when it attacks it’s prey. On the other hand, the Bengal Tiger has black stripes on its yellow
coat. It silendy attacks it’s prey.
2. Write the sum and substance of the poem, “How to Tell Wild Animals”.
The poet, Carolyn Wells, in the poem suggests some of the dangerous ways to identify the wild animals. The
poem is full of humorous examples when the poet tries to distinguish one animal from the other. Moreover, the
poem educates us by describing the various features of wild animals.
3.How can you distinguish between a tiger and a leopard? [CBSE 2011]
A tiger has black stripes on its yellow coat. A leopard on the other hand, does not have any stripes. It has spots
peppered on its body. Moreover, a tiger kills only when it is hungry, while a leopard can kill for the pleasure of
killing by pouncing continuously on its prey.
4.How can you distinguish between a hyena and a crocodile?
A hyena laughs as it swallows its victim, whereas a crocodile weeps as it swallows its victim.
5.What are the distinctive features of the Asian lion as given in the poem?
The Asian Lion is large in stature. It is brownish-yellow in colour. It roars very loudly. The sound of its roar is
so terrible to hear that it can make one almost die due to fear. The Asian Lion is found in the forests of East
Asian countries.
6.What does the Bengal Tiger look like? What is so distinct about him?
The Bengal Tiger roams freely in the forest. It is noble and majestic in stature. It wears black stripes on a yellow
hide. When it notices someone it tries to eat him. The Bengal tiger attacks its prey very silently and grasps it
with his terrifying teeth.
7.How does a leopard behave when he sees someone? [CBSE 2016]
As leopard has black spots all over its body. As soon as it sees someone, it leaps over him at once. It keeps on
pouncing continuously on its victim, attacks him and starts eating him.
8.How does the poet describe the bear?

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The poet describes the bear in a humourous way. He says that as soon as a bear sees a human being, it hugs him
tightly. It clasps its prey tightly with both its hands and squeezes him to death. If he is still alive, he gives him
another tight hug to kill him.
9.What is so weird about the Hyena and the crocodile? [CBSE 2014]
Some animals such as the hyena and the crocodile are famous for their weird behaviour. For example, a
laughing hyena’s voice resembles human’s laughing sound. Moreover, a hyena laughs while swallowing it’s
prey, while a crocodile shed tears.
10.Describe a few characteristics of a chameleon.
A chameleon is a garden lizard and is an expert at camouflage. It changes its colour as per its surroundings. This
ability of camouflage helps it in saving it from the hunters. A chameleon does not have – any ears or wings.

Long Answer (Value Based) Type Question

1.‘Humour is the best medicine for every ailment in life’. Comment. [CBSE 2013]
Humour is infectious. When humour is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness. Humour
strengthens our immune system, boosts our energy, diminishes pain and protects us from the damaging effects
of stress. It is the priceless medicine for every ailment in life. The poet, in the poem ‘How to tell Wild Animals’
creates humour by describing various beasts of prey. The way the poet explains the things is very funny yet
interesting. The poet has depicted the wildlife very vividly and in a lively manner. While reading the poem, the
readers enjoy the poet’s work and it leaves them refreshed and happy.
1-Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
The actual word is dying which does not rhyme with lion. In order to create rhyme, it is written as ‘dyin’ in the
poem.
2- How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him?
-The poet differentiates between the two in the following manner-
He says that if the beast is of yellow- brown colour that is tawny colour and it roars out so fiercely that you may
die out of fear, then this is an Asian lion.
Whereas, if the animal has black stripes on yellow background of hthe skin and he attacks to kill you, then it is a
Bengal tiger.
3- Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell
them like this?
The words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ have not been spelled correctly. It is a poetic device known as poetic license which is
used by the poet to lay emphasis on the actions of the leopard.
4- Look at the line “A novice might nonplus”. How would you write this ‘correctly’? Why is the poet’s
‘incorrect’ line better in the poem?
The correct order of the sentence is ‘a novice might be nonplussed’. The poet wrote it in order to bring rhyme to
her poem. nonplus rhymes with thus.

5- Much of the humour in the poem arises from the way language is used, although the ideas are funny as
well. If there are particular lines in the poem that you especially like, share these with the class, speaking
briefly about what it is about the ideas or the language that you like or find funny?
Yes, it is true that the poet has used the language in a way that it arises humour. The poet has used many lines
that are funny. One such is ‘If he roars at you as you’re dyin’. You’ll know it is the Asian Lion…’ or the other
one is ‘A noble wild beast greets you’. So his idea of explaining the characteristics of the wild animals is quite
funny.

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6.The poet has used some special qualities to describe the animals and create humour in the poem. Each
of us also has some special qualities which make us quite different from others. Do you agree with this
statement? Comment with reference to the poem ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’.
The poet has used the selected words and expressions to describe the animals and to create humour. For
example she says, “A noble beast greets you’ for “The Bengal Tiger”, “A bear – hugs you” “Crocodiles weep”
and ‘Hyena smiles’. Like these animals, each of us has some special qualities which make us quite different
from others. For example, we face many people in a day, but even then we can easily recognize them only
through their voice or through their special habits. These distinctive qualities give them a unique identification.
This, statement is absolutely right.

7. Every animal is unique and has some special characteristics. What tricks does the poet adopt in
distinguishing various wild animals?
No doubt, every animal is unique. Every wild animal has his own special trait, colour, size and characteristics.
The Asian Lion is found in the jungles of the eastern regions. It is a huge and mighty creature with brownish
hide. His roar is enough to terrorise a person to death. The Bengal Tiger is a ‘noble’ and impressive wild
animals. He has yellowish hide and black stripes all over it. The Leopard has dark spots all over his body. He is
very agile. The moment he sees its prey, he pounces upon it without showing any mercy. The bear is known by
his strong and tight hug. It becomes rather difficult for a novice to distinguish among wild animals. However,
hyenas and crocodiles can be easily recognised. Hyenas come smiling merrily while crocodiles appear to be
weeping. The chameleon is a small creature like a lizard. He has no ears and doesn’t have even a single wing.
You can find him sitting on a tree.

8. The poet has successfully used humour to be able to ‘tell’ or identify ‘Wild Animals’. How do you think
we need lots of it in our daily life?
Humour is the fuel of life. Without it, it would become difficult to continue living. Today, the life of the
common man is typically mired in stress, tension, problems and sadness. It is amazing how the smallest
problems may take on epic proportions for a common person. In such a situation, it becomes necessary to have
a little humour in life. It gives us the much-needed respite from our monotonous routine and helps us face life
more positively. Thus, the poetess’ successful use of humour helps livin our minds and brings a smile on our
faces.

9. What is the theme of the poem — ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’?

The theme of the poem is to create humour. The poet creates humour by suggesting dangerous ways of
identifying wild animals. You can identify most of the beasts while they are attacking you. Instead of shouting
for help or trying to protect yourself, you are busy identifying the attacker—the idea creates humour.

10. Why does the poet say that a bear’s ‘hug’ may confuse a novice?
It is the tendency of a bear to kill his victim by embracing him. He hugs the victim so tight that he usually dies.
But a novice who does not know the ways of bears may misunderstand his hug. He may think that it is a loving
embrace.

---------------------------All the Best------------------------------

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